1. Field of the Invention
The field of this invention relates to knifes and more particularly to a utility knife that is commonly used by homeowners and building trade individuals.
2. Description of the Related Art
Utility knives have long been known. A typical utility knife has an elongated body with there being a slot located within the fore end of the elongated body. There is a slidable button mounted on the housing and the user is to move the slidable button to cause a blade to be extended from the body. The utility knife is then to be used in a motion pulling the knife across a workpiece in the direction of the user to perform a cut.
People in the building trade business, such as contractors and carpenters, utilize utility knives frequently. Pulling of a utility knife toward the user can, in some instances, be a dangerous situation. If the knife slips or becomes free of the workpiece, the knife can actually be pulled by the user directly into the user's body causing injury to the user. The use of a utility knife, in the past, has only been by a pulling motion. In some instances, it would be desirable to utilize a utility knife with a pushing action, which in some situations would be much safer because the knife is being pushed away from the user's body, and if it slips free of the workpiece and is rapidly projected outward it will not come into contact with the user's body.
Also, if performing of cuts on a workpiece, the making of a cut only by a pulling action is limiting. For example, if a cut is being made on a four foot by eight foot panel of sheetrock, a certain cut may be easier to perform by executing of a pushing action as opposed to a pulling action. It would be desirable to design a utility knife that could utilize both a pushing action or pulling action.
Reference is to be had to U.S. Pat. No. 5,943,929 by Wayne Anthony Sebesta, in which there is shown a utility knife that is capable of being used by both pulling and pushing of the housing of the knife. The blade of this knife comprises a single blade and this blade is mounted so that it can be pivoted to different angular positions. This will permit the knife blade to be used with both a pulling force and a pushing force. A knob is mounted on the housing of this prior art utility knife and by turning of the knob the blade will be caused to extend in either a fore position or an aft position.
This prior art utility knife construction has a disadvantage in that it is constructed quite complexly and it utilizes only a single blade. If the blade breaks, it is a difficult procedure in order to replace the blade. It would be desirable to utilize a utility knife that had two blades that could be placed in the operating position so that if one blade breaks and the operator chooses to continue with the cutting procedure that the operator only needs to turn the utility knife one hundred-eighty degrees and cause a second blade to extend and then can proceed on with the cutting action.